Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary is to carry out an inspection of the Royal Military Police Special Investigations Branch. This inspection has been granted by the MOD but will not engage itself in judgements concerning the appropriateness of specific lines of enquiry as it is not a review of individual operations or investigations.

inspection will focus upon assessing processes and procedures of high level 3 investigations dealing with major crime or serious and organised crime.

Quite simply, yes. The MoD Police are, as they are essentially a civialian police force whose patch is the MoD. As are the various other specialised police forces such as the Mersey tunnel police, Atomic police (not sure of their actual name), city of london police (not particularly special but quite small) and the traffic police and transport police whose sole purpose is to drive up and down motorways and police the rail network.

Why are the RMP any different? They police the army as it's patch, but for their policing role and investigation side of duties (esp the SIB then) they should be as accountable as any other force.

Quite simply, yes. The MoD Police are, as they are essentially a civialian police force whose patch is the MoD. As are the various other specialised police forces such as the Mersey tunnel police, Atomic police (not sure of their actual name), city of london police (not particularly special but quite small) and the traffic police and transport police whose sole purpose is to drive up and down motorways and police the rail network.

Why are the RMP any different? They police the army as it's patch, but for their policing role and investigation side of duties (esp the SIB then) they should be as accountable as any other force.

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The Atomic Police are now called the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.

There is no one Force that " drive up and down motorways " Each Force has it's own Roads Policing Unit that covers main roads and motorways that cross it's area.

The Central Motorway Police Group provides a full-regionalised policing service for the motorways of the West Midlands, West Mercia, Staffordshire and Warwickshire force areas.

Based in purpose-built premises at Perry Barr in Birmingham the CMPG is made up of 199 police officers and 20 support staff and is responsible for patrolling 630 miles of motorway stretching from Cheshire on the M6 to the Welsh borders on the M50.

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I am sure there used to be a mob responsible for patrolling the whole of the motorway system but I may be wrong.

The Central Motorway Police Group provides a full-regionalised policing service for the motorways of the West Midlands, West Mercia, Staffordshire and Warwickshire force areas.

Based in purpose-built premises at Perry Barr in Birmingham the CMPG is made up of 199 police officers and 20 support staff and is responsible for patrolling 630 miles of motorway stretching from Cheshire on the M6 to the Welsh borders on the M50.

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I am sure there used to be a mob responsible for patrolling the whole of the motorway system but I may be wrong.

This is probably the best bit of news for the Branch since the Met were invited in to set it up in the first place. Sure there might be a little pain here and there but the Branch will emerge a stronger and more professional organisation.

I'd like to think that would be true, but I don't think that it'll make the slightest difference. It's not the investigators who are the problem, it's the management. Always has been and always will be. What's needed is a complete change. The recruitment of retiring senior police officers on a temporary contract basis would be a good start. Chief Inspector upwards. SIB cannot compete at that level. The people on the ground have the desire to succeed, but they lack credible leadership in most part.

I hope that the full report is made public. I don't think that the level of investigative ability is under threat, although there is a lack of continuity in training for personnel once qualified. The 'leadership' isn't interested in personnel development. Watch the exodus to the Aussie Army next year. I hope that the Aussies don't judge everyone on the ability of the first two officers who transfer or that'll put the mockers on it for those who wish to follow, but I would put money on the 'first two' being consulted as to the suitability of those later applicants and I wouldn't get odds on them recruiting thier 'mates' over those who have the ability.

One question which needs addressing is the other 'exit strategy' towards Army Welfare by those in Sgt rank. Have these people seen the writing on the wall or were they just not up to it to begin with or, had they just had enough of poor management? The managment has bluffed it for years. I don't see much changing on the back of a report, beyond adding too the already heavy workload of those on the shop floor.

I can recall a certain now retired police officer in charge of a Northern Force attacking the ability of the Corps to investigate a suicide/weapons accident in Bosnia. Short description is; after days of sh1tty weather,brief break in weather allowed investigator in by helicopter. On arrival weather starts to close in, pilot informs investigator they may be in for a week if they don't get a move on. Investigator lines up soldiers and records statements (in private) seeing one soldier after another until job is done. (I saw the statements later and they were in the good to very good level). Anyway Northern Cop, who has a huge opinion of himself, declares that the statements could not have been recorded properly and announces that he is sending a team of his finest who spend three weeks in theatre and come back with a batch of similar (one could say poorer quality) statements.

I can recall a certain now retired police officer in charge of a Northern Force attacking the ability of the Corps to investigate a suicide/weapons accident in Bosnia. Short description is; after days of sh1tty weather,brief break in weather allowed investigator in by helicopter. On arrival weather starts to close in, pilot informs investigator they may be in for a week if they don't get a move on. Investigator lines up soldiers and records statements (in private) seeing one soldier after another until job is done. (I saw the statements later and they were in the good to very good level). Anyway Northern Cop, who has a huge opinion of himself, declares that the statements could not have been recorded properly and announces that he is sending a team of his finest who spend three weeks in theatre and come back with a batch of similar (one could say poorer quality) statements.

I can recall a certain now retired police officer in charge of a Northern Force attacking the ability of the Corps to investigate a suicide/weapons accident in Bosnia. Short description is; after days of sh1tty weather,brief break in weather allowed investigator in by helicopter. On arrival weather starts to close in, pilot informs investigator they may be in for a week if they don't get a move on. Investigator lines up soldiers and records statements (in private) seeing one soldier after another until job is done. (I saw the statements later and they were in the good to very good level). Anyway Northern Cop, who has a huge opinion of himself, declares that the statements could not have been recorded properly and announces that he is sending a team of his finest who spend three weeks in theatre and come back with a batch of similar (one could say poorer quality) statements.